


To Follow The Setting Sun

by CatContessa



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Fakemon, Gen, australian pokemon region, slightly political if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-22 10:09:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22714372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatContessa/pseuds/CatContessa
Summary: A new dawn rises over the Australis region as a new journey begins. Charlie and her best friend Tilly are going on an adventure of a lifetime during the summer that will define their young years, but no road is ever without its obstacles. Follow these friends on their journey through the Pokemon League in the vast and beautiful Australis Region!
Kudos: 1





	To Follow The Setting Sun

**Author's Note:**

> \--IMPORTANT: This fic contains reference to Indigenous Australian culture, stories and customs. The author wishes to pay respects to the traditional owners of the land on which it was written, the Dharawal people, and elders past and present.--
> 
> This fic was inspired by my old school friend, Liezl's (aka VivInk) drawings for a possible Pokemon region based on Australia, and MrBuddy's Australian Region video. A lot of the Pokemon I've made up for this are of my own creation, some are inspired by them. I'll eventually post some art of it, but please go give Liezl and MrBuddy some love!!
> 
> p.s. Hey Liezl! I know you probably don't remember me from high school, but I'm really happy for your progress as an artist. Can't wait to play your game someday. ^_^
> 
> p.p.s. MrBuddy, as much as I love your video on an Australian Pokemon region, ya gotta let a real 'Strayan have a crack. Love your work tho :D

The calls of bird Pokemon heralded the dawn, as they always did. Trundling through the train station, the first train of the morning pulled up with a hiss of pistons as their doors opened to the commuters only barely awake, filing on to find their seats for the long ride down the mountain into Blueharbour City for work, while the cafes and small shops in town were opening for the day, and the night shift staff at the Pokemon Center were changing over with the day shift staff. For the youth of the Australis Region, it was but the first day of Summer, three whole months of freedom to kick back after a long year of school and do whatever was within reason for them- but not all of them were awake yet. In a little cottage house in Greenleaf Town, two young girls were asleep in a tent they'd put up in the backyard. Charlie, strawberry blonde and covered in freckles from head to toe, held the hand of her best friend, Tilly, whose thick black curls were bound back in a braid as she slept. Not even the screeching call of Crackatoo or the cackle of Billaburra could have woken the two- but the sudden entrance of Charlie's Mum's Herdier did. With an insistent bark, it scurried into the tent, walking all over the girls, who stirred with a groan as the canid creature licked their faces and jumped all over their legs.

"Silky!" Charlie protested, pushing the Herdier's snout away from her. "Ugh, did Mum let you out?"

Tilly sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Ugh, what time is it?" She picked up her phone, momentarily blinded when she unlocked it by the backlight of the screen. Blinking until her eyes focused, she read the time. "Six-thirty? Seriously?"

Charlie finally shooed Silky out of the tent and rolled over. "It's too early," She whined, wiggling down into the sleeping bag. "Bloody Silky..."

"She was whining at the door when we came out here to sleep last night," Tilly reasoned, locking her phone and lying down again. "Maybe your brother let her out. And if my family was here, we'd know."

Charlie yawned. "Yeah, your siblings are worse than Jack and Kayley are."

Tilly chuckled. "Thank Arceus I have my own room."

"I hear that." Charlie huffed softly, about to nod off again, when Silky returned with Jack, Charley's younger brother proceeding to join the Herdier in jumping all over them. Eventually with much complaining and arguing, the two girls emerged from their tent with their phones in a huff, disheveled and very much looking forward to being away from the house, if the day went well. They came in through the back door to the kitchen, greeted to the smell of pancakes being cooked on the stove. Kim, Charlie's mother, shot the girls a smile over her shoulder, balancing little Kayley on her hip. 

"Morning, girls," She called. "Sorry about Jack and Silky, Charlie- I told him no, but your father sent them out."

David, Charlie's father, earned glares from the girls as he set Jack in his lap. "Seriously Dad?" Charlie crossed her arms. "It's too early!"

David feigned innocence. "But it's pancake day!" He told them, grinning as Jack popped his head up over the back of the couch. "And you know how Jack gets when there's pancakes." 

"You mean how you get when there's pancakes," Kim corrected him. "Charlie, can you come and put Kayley in her chair? I need both hands." 

Soon they were all at the table, enjoying fruit and pancakes. Kayley was too little for pancakes yet, so her breakfast consisted of peeled pecha slices, cut up and fed to her with a pink plastic spoon by Kim. Jack already managed to get syrup and butter all over his face, which David was already cleaning up. "So, girls," He said, cleaning up the boy's face with a napkin, "Today could be the big day. Nervous?"

"I'm more nervous that the letter won't come," Said Tilly. "We put it in like, the week before end of term? It should have been processed by now." Charlie nodded in agreement.

"Well, the postie should be here by lunchtime, so we should know by then." Kim wiped away the drool from Kayley's face with a tissue. "The lady at the teahouse said her son got his pretty quick last summer." Tilly tapped the table twice, then Charlie. Touch wood. "If you want to kill some time after breakfast, take Silky for a walk with Jack down to the park. I'd like the kitchen empty while I work on getting everything ready for Tilly's family, whether it's the day or not."

Both the girls didn't like that idea. Jack was a rowdy kid, always getting dirty and scratched up, and was too young to recognise his sister as an authority to be listened to. David piped up then. "Why don't I take Jack to the park while the girls go walking?"

"Because you said you were going to mow the lawn and get the leaves out of the pool, Dave," Kim responded quickly, feeding Kayley another bit of fruit. 

David shot the girls an apologetic look. "Yes, dear."

With breakfast sorted and the girls fed and later dressed, Silky was leashed and Jack was already at the door, Kim making sure his shoes were tied properly and telling him to listen to his sister. They were seen off with a wave, and went on their way to the park down the road. It was sunny, the summer heat of the region already threatening to rise as the hours went on. Charlie and Tilly tried to stay upbeat as they went on their way, discussing the battle they'd watched on a livestream the night before between the Galar region champion Leon and his long time rival, Raihan, while Jack held Charlie's hand. There were others about at this hour, the three walking past joggers and cyclists and people out walking their Pokemon on leashes, as was to be expected of sleepy, peaceful Greenleaf. Waving hello to some neighbours, they finally arrived at the park, and Silky took a drink at the fountain designed for Pokemon- but Jack crossed his arms and huffed. 

"I wanna go to the big park!" He whined.

Charlie groaned. "It's too hot, Jack. Go play on the equipment, we won't be here long."

"No!" Jack stomped his foot. "Big park!!"

Now it was Tilly's turn to groan. "Jack, it's too far away and it's right near the shopping centre. Why don't we play twenty two home? You can pick the safe parts." She hoped the compromise would appease him, but it didn't. 

"I want the big park!!" He screamed, pounding his fists against his sister's leg. 

Charlie grabbed his arm with one hand. "Keep this up, and I'm calling Mum to come and get you, do you understand?!"

"NO!" Jack screeched. Charlie and Tilly rolled their eyes at each other, but as Charlie fished out her phone from her pocket to call her mother, Jack bit her hand, causing her to cry out and drop it. Snatching it up, Jack ran off as fast as his toddler legs would carry him. Tilly held onto Silky's leash as she barked and strained against it, and Charlie cursed as they took off after him. Jack could be a real pain when he wanted to be, and chances are all the sugar from the pancakes wasn't helping. He was way too young to know the way to the bigger playground next to the shopping centre, and even if he did get there, he would be too short to lift the latch on the gate, but the biggest fear was that he'd get lost or hurt.

Just as they turned the corner onto the next street, they were running out of energy, but Silky certainly wasn't, and before either of them knew it, the Herdier yanked her leash out of Tilly's grip and shot off like a rocket. 

"Great!" Charlie groaned. "Just great! Now we've lost Silky, too!"

"Herdier have great noses, she'll sniff out Jack for us!" Tilly had to stop to catch her breath. "Should we call your Mum?"

Charlie was fuming. "Let's get after him," She growled. "Silky had better find that brat before I do!"

They ran after the sound of Silky's barking for a few more blocks, until they finally reached the teahouse near the shopping centre, where Silky had grabbed the back of Jack's shirt in her teeth and was holding on tightly. Jack was still screaming bloody murder, unhappy that his plans had been foiled. Charlie, still furious, grabbed Jack's arm and forced her phone from his hands. "You're gonna be so grounded when Mum finds out!" She snapped at him. Still in the midst of his tantrum, Jack sat down and started to cry, and Silky had the good sense to sit on him so he wouldn't run off again. Tilly figured he was only acting up because he had a feeling his sister was going away soon- which she understood, sure- but she didn't feel sorry for him. It was his own fault for running off, and if Silky wasn't with them, they wouldn't have found him until much later. She watched Jack closely while Charlie tried to call home, when a woman with dark skin in a khaki jacket walked up next to them. 

"Strewth! That's a lot of racket from a lil fella!" She gave a sympathetic smile, cringing slightly as Jack shrieked again. "What's happened?"

Tilly looked over at the woman- she looked like one of her people, thick curls going wild around her head, full lips and intelligent dark eyes, but her accent made her sound like she had to be from one of the nations out west. "Chucked a wobbly when we wouldn't take him to the park up near the grocer," Tilly explained briefly. "Took off."

The woman shook her head, but kept her smile. "He your mob?"

"Yeah nah." Tilly nodded in the direction of Charlie. "He's hers. We're hoping on taking the Journey soon and he's not keen."

"Ahh." The woman nodded. "Yeah, yungins get like that, ay? That Herdier's a good one though, lucky him."

Charlie gave an exasperated sigh when there was no response. She looked at the woman as Jack kept screaming. "Sorry if he's bothering you," She apologised, trying this time to raise her father on the phone. 

"Nah, you're 'right." The woman chuckled. "I heard your Herdier barking from up the street, thought I'd come check on yuz." She put out a hand. "Sorry about me manners. I'm Sadie, Sadie Acacia."

Charlie blinked in shock. "Wait, as in- Professor Acacia? The Professor Acacia?"

"Yeah, that'd be me." Acacia rubbed the back of her neck. "I was about to make the trek back to my hotel room when I heard the commotion."

Tilly exchanged looks with Charlie. "We're so sorry, Professor," She said. "You must be so busy! We didn't mean to get in the way."

"Ah, no worries!" Acacia waved her hand dismissively. "Look, let's get out of the sun for a minute and cool the ankle biter off, then we'll see about getting you home, okay?"

* * *

It took a sip of cold water or two and Silky sitting in his lap before Jack calmed down. Professor Acacia didn't seem too bothered, watching the two as she sipped a black coffee. "Look at that, he's calmed right down." She grinned as Jack hugged Silky. "That's the power of the bond between Pokemon and humans for you. They're close in spirit, I can see it plain as day. How long have you had her?"

Charlie pushed the straw around in her glass of lemonade. "Mum got Silky when she was a Lilipup," She explained. "She's part of the family."

"That explains it. Domesticated Herdier often see their humans as packmates." Professor Acacia reached over to pet Silky's head, which was gladly accepted. "But I don't blame your brother for acting up, you know."

Charlie cocked her brow, and Tilly piped up to explain. "Siblings of those going on the Journey usually know when the older ones are going," She said. "It's thought to be a challenge of will from the Land Spirits before the Sending ceremony."

Charlie hummed, reaching over to rub Jack's back. "Personally I'd blame all the syrup he had on his pancakes, and Dad getting him all riled up." She smiled slightly as her brother gave a yawn. "But at least we got him before he ran out on the road."

"Yeah, I was the same when my brother went on his Journey." Professor Acacia knocked back her coffee with a gulp. "It's sacred to all First Nations of the region. It's coming of age, a way to be tested by the Land Spirits to see if you were strong enough to protect the land that bore us."

"That's what Uncle Jim tells us," Tilly remarked. "He's the Elder around here, have you met him?"

"I'm meeting him for the Sending," Professor Acacia explained, digging some money out of her wallet. "Don't worry about the drinks- my shout- but I'm hoping I'll see yuz both at the Sending. You two look like you've got the stuff, if you ask me." She grinned at Jack. "One day, Little Brother, you will, too." That got a smile out of Charlie- she loved how the people of the First Nations talked, like they were all family, calling each other Aunty or Uncle, or sister or brother. It must feel nice, she thought, to feel like you have family anywhere you go. "Anyways, how about a lift home, ay? It's too hot to be out walking."

The girls accompanied Professor Acacia to her car, Charlie carrying Jack on her back while Tilly had Silky on the leash, and Charlie had to hold Jack in her lap on the drive home to her place. The smell of barbecue was in the air, and Tilly's parents' van was parked on the front lawn. The girls hopped out, Acacia offering to carry Jack on her hip as they walked to the door, Charlie opening the screen door so they could all enter. Tilly's mum, Fran, was gossiping with Kim, while the shrieks of joy from Tilly's little sisters and brothers splashing about in the pool wafted in through the back door and roused Jack as Acacia set him on the floor to run to his mum. Silky was let off the leash to go and run around out in the backyard, and Kim looked up as Jack hugged her around her hips. 

"I was starting to wonder where you kids went to." Kim ruffled Jack's hair, then looked up at Acacia, who was smiling politely. "...Can I help you?"

"Ah, sorry luv. The little fella ran off down the shops, away from the girls," Acacia explained, gesturing to Jack. "I stepped in when he chucked a tanty, offered to bring them home." She walked over and offered her hand to Kim. "Sadie Acacia, sorry for walking in on this little shindig." 

Kim shook it, returning the pleasantries, and Fran got a chance to shake Acacia's hand. "Where're your people from?" She asked.

"Come from out west," Acacia replied, pointing in some direction as if to show Fran where to look. "Other side of the desert, out here doing some research. I'm gonna be meeting with the Elder of this land for permission."

"Nah, yeah, Uncle Jim will be good to you." Fran flashed her a grin. "Welcome to country, sister girl. Pull up a chair, ay?" Fran looked to Kim. "Don't worry 'bout lil Jacko, Kim. That's the spirits for ya, just testing Charlie." 

Charlie set her hands on her hips. "He ran off to the shops because he didn't want to hang around the park down the street," She told Kim, giving Jack a stern look. "If Silky didn't run off after him, he could have been hit by a car." 

Kim gave Jack a similar look. "It'd better be those spirits, Fran. I'll have to talk to Dave about it later." She sent Jack upstairs to get his swimming costume on. "Sadie, was it? Come sit down. Least I can do is get you a cold drink."

"No, it's okay." Acacia held up a hand to stop her. "I've got some work to do today. What's this little shindig for, anyway?"

"Might be their Sending today," Fran grinned. "We'll know when the postman gets here." Charlie and Tilly gave each other a hopeful look. In all the fuss with Jack, they hadn't really given it much thought. 

Acacia seemed excited, but had to rush off with a hurried goodbye and "best of luck" after she was interrupted by her phone going off. The girls watched her rush out the door, giving each other a nervous smile. Kim walked over to the girls, giving them both a cold glass of juice. "Don't worry about Jack, Charlie. I'll talk to him. You two head upstairs for a breather before you deal with the chaos outside." Fran barked a laugh at that- it was no secret that Tilly's siblings were a handful. Kim just smiled and shooed the girls upstairs. 

Charlie was all too happy to start marching up the steps to her room, her feet still sore from chasing Jack, and flopped down on her giant Chansey beanbag the second she walked in the door. Tilly sat down next to her, her friend's form rolling into hers with the upset of balance, both girls kicking off their shoes. A breather was sorely needed after that chase. A trilling mew came from under the bed as the smug face of the family's Purrugly, Muffin, padded out into the open and proudly took her place on Charlie's lap. No real words passed between the two girls, even as Charlie petted the feline Pokemon's head to Muffin's vocal approval. While Charlie nodded off with Muffin, Tilly glanced about her friend's room, eyes wandering to the corkboard mounted on one wall, full of photographs and flyers taken at school with their other friends. Were Tommo and Shaz going to get their letters, she wondered. Did Shaz make sure Molly put in her application? Molly was lovely, but Arceus above, she was absent-minded at the best of times. At least Shaz looked after her, like a good boyfriend should. Hopefully they'd be there. Tommo was a maybe, though- his marks weren't great, and one bad stain on your transcripts could jeopardize an application... 

She was interrupted by Muffin pawing at her arm, almost as if to ask why Tilly was not making herself available as sleeping space. 

Tilly chuckled. "Yes, I heard you. I'm assuming the position." She petted the Purrugly's head and curled up with Charlie to a nap.


End file.
